The unofficial online home for fans of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Coach Fick,

I am so grateful that you and your family chose to stay in Cincinnati and continue to coach our Bearcats, to be a leader and teacher of our young men, and to be a part of the Cincinnati community with your wonderful family. You Sir are a man of honor and integrity. You Sir have done something other Cincinnati coaches have not done in the recent past - staying put to coach our beloved Bearcats! We support you and your family 100%! I will challenge our alumni, fans, and students to show you, your family, your staff, your players, and your program that you are valued and supported in all your endeavors moving forward!

Go Bearcats!!!!

Sincerely,

An Optimistic Cincinnati Alumnus and Fan

+1. I haven't had great feelings about previous coaches who walked out the door but Fick is a really solid person. When he eventually goes elsewhere I'll pull for him (although if he gets OSU I'm not sure I could follow through). Glad we get to keep this thing going for at least another year.

YES!!!!!!!!!!
BDF!!!!!!!!!!!

This is just great news, these two are for Coach......

Apparently UCGrad1992 has nothing to say ... 4 times :)

Fabulous news!

In true 4D chess master fashion he just crippled MSU’s head to head recruiting with the talking points he has in his back pocket now.

Now let’s get a big extension with a high buyout in place so we are not doing this for a 3rd time 8-9 months from now.

From Coach Fickell himself?

I'm hoping our university will release some kind of statement or have a presser soon...

(02-10-2020 11:05 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  I'm hoping our university will release some kind of statement or have a presser soon...

Hopefully it's an announcement of a contact extension. Which likely has been in the works and received final touches based upon Fick's interaction with MSU.

(02-10-2020 11:37 AM)crex043 Wrote:  

(02-10-2020 11:05 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  I'm hoping our university will release some kind of statement or have a presser soon...

Hopefully it's an announcement of a contact extension. Which likely has been in the works and received final touches based upon Fick's interaction with MSU.

https://twitter.com/freep/status/1226900...27136?s=21
Nice detroit free press article

Let's make sure to thank Amy and their kids too. Family matters!

(02-10-2020 11:50 AM)BearcatDave Wrote:  

(02-10-2020 11:37 AM)crex043 Wrote:  

(02-10-2020 11:05 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  I'm hoping our university will release some kind of statement or have a presser soon...

Hopefully it's an announcement of a contact extension. Which likely has been in the works and received final touches based upon Fick's interaction with MSU.

https://twitter.com/freep/status/1226900...27136?s=21
Nice detroit free press article

Interesting snippet from that article...

Quote:Still, despite talk in January with new UC athletic director John Cunningham about contract extension stalled, according to sources, in part over buyout terms, Fickell told Michigan State no.

[/code]

If true, that needs to be rectified immediately. I wonder if AD Cunningham gave some assurances to Fick about getting that worked out during this MSU dance? Better to be late than sorry I guess but man that could've been a crusher after-the-fact had Luke left.

Not having a significant buyout essentially makes a contract extension meaningless from UC's perspective...but honestly, he gave us a fourth year when we've all been conditioned to expect 3. He has built this program up again, brought in some serious talent, and the cupboard will be STACKED should he leave after next season.

This was THE job many were worried about, a Big Ten job, at a fairly well-positioned school with a solid recent history and close to Ohio. He turned it down...I don't give a **** why, the act is enough for me. Give the man the world and hope he continues to build it, and if not, there is more than enough there to have a huge level of interest in the position when it opens. I mean, a top tier candidate rated UC better than WVU and MSU in consecutive off-seasons.

After he spurned MSU, I wouldn't worry about sticking too big of a buyout clause on the extension. I think he proved he is serious about hanging around and that should buy him some goodwill. Give him more money and years and maybe a little bump on the buyout or keep it as is. Let's make him happy.

(02-10-2020 02:05 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  Not having a significant buyout essentially makes a contract extension meaningless from UC's perspective...but honestly, he gave us a fourth year when we've all been conditioned to expect 3. He has built this program up again, brought in some serious talent, and the cupboard will be STACKED should he leave after next season.

This was THE job many were worried about, a Big Ten job, at a fairly well-positioned school with a solid recent history and close to Ohio. He turned it down...I don't give a **** why, the act is enough for me. Give the man the world and hope he continues to build it, and if not, there is more than enough there to have a huge level of interest in the position when it opens. I mean, a top tier candidate rated UC better than WVU and MSU in consecutive off-seasons.

Fickell's dealing from a position of power so if he doesn't want a more significant buyout then you can't really force it on him but hopefully they can increase the salary to make the buyout more palatable. I have no idea what numbers they're talking about but if you're negotiating $3 mill/yr with $4 mil buyout you can at least give the option that we'll give you 10% more if you increase the buyout to $6 mil.

And in all honesty I can't blame Fickell for being concerned about the buyout. While he's obviously happy now he's got a new boss who he's just learning. Maybe in a year he doesn't like working for him and wants to look elsewhere. It's hard to ask push a long term commitment to a new situation.